Camila pulled back.
For several seconds, I forgot that words existed.
She didn’t.
"Sorry." She glanced toward Isabella. "Didn’t mean to scare away the guests."
Her fingers were still resting against my collar.
Then she leaned closer again.
"I just miss him when we’re apart too long."
We had been apart for maybe four minutes.
Isabella stared at her, then at me.
Then she laughed.
Actually laughed.
"I’m Isabella."
"Camila."
Grant stepped forward with the smile I’d seen him use on women before.
"Grant."
Camila gave him a brief glance.
"Hi."
That was all he got.
She was already looking back at Isabella.
Grant’s smile survived another second before disappearing.
Interesting.
Isabella looked between us.
"I’m surprised Evan’s never mentioned you."
Camila laughed. "Why would he? He rarely gives my mouth enough time to talk."
I nearly dropped the bottle in my hand.
Isabella burst out laughing.
Grant didn’t.
Camila winked at me.
Oh, she was enjoying this far too much.
"We work together," she added.
"At Aurelia?"
"Mhm."
Isabella’s eyes moved between us again.
"So who’s in charge?"
"At work?"
Camila smiled and settled against my side.
"Depends who you ask."
Isabella looked amused now.
"And outside work?"
Camila tilted her face toward me.
"Him, obviously."
I nearly choked.
Isabella’s eyebrows climbed.
"Evan?"
"Apparently." Camila squeezed my arm. "He’s still getting used to it."
I had absolutely no idea who this woman was.
Apparently Isabella liked her.
"So what are you doing here?" Isabella asked.
"We’re testing something for one of Aurelia’s social channels."
"Which one?"
"PULSE."
Recognition took a second.
"The city page?"
Camila nodded. "You’ve seen it?"
"Probably. Food, clubs, events?"
"That’s the one."
I set the bottle down.
"We’re trying something different."
Camila looked at Isabella.
"His idea."
That turned Isabella’s attention back to me.
"Seriously?"
"Try not to sound so shocked."
Her mouth curved.
"I wasn’t."
"You were."
"Maybe a little."
There she was.
Camila laughed.
"Less places, more people. Access. Interesting lives. Things you can’t get from another list of the best rooftop bars."
Isabella considered it.
"That actually sounds better."
"Thank you."
She gave me a look.
"I didn’t say it was genius."
"Give it time."
Grant tried to join in.
"Honestly, Isabella would be perfect for—"
"I can speak, Grant."
His mouth closed.
Camila hid her smile badly.
Isabella glanced toward the Aurelia phone.
"I could probably help with that."
Camila’s attention sharpened.
"How?"
Isabella shrugged. "I know people."
That, unfortunately, was true.
Then she added, almost casually, "And I’ve got around a million followers across my accounts."
Camila’s eyebrow rose.
"You do?"
"You sound surprised."
"A little."
Isabella smiled.
"Rude."
"Occupational hazard."
That got another laugh.
"The followers are mostly useless for getting reservations," Isabella said, "but I know people who aren’t."
Private events. Openings. People who ignored cold emails because they could.
The followers were useful.
The access was better.
"I could introduce you to some people. Events, openings, whatever fits."
Then she looked at me.
"Or I could do one."
Camila stayed quiet.
Smart.
"One what?" I asked.
"One of your features." Isabella tilted her head. "If you think I’d work."
For a moment, I just looked at her.
Years ago, Isabella called when she needed something from me.
Now she was asking whether she could be useful to something I’d built.
That was new.
"You’d work."
"Good."
Grant checked his watch.
"Isa, Connor’s waiting upstairs."
She didn’t look at him.
"In a minute."
"They’ve already been waiting."
Isabella finally glanced his way.
"They’ll survive."
He watched her for another second before giving up.
"Fine. I’ll be upstairs."
"Okay."
Grant left.
Camila watched him disappear.
"I don’t think he likes me."
Isabella grinned.
"He’ll recover."
Dangerous.
The two of them were getting along.
Isabella pulled out her phone.
"Give me yours."
Camila handed it over.
A few taps later, Isabella returned it.
"Text me. We can figure something out next week."
"I will."
"And don’t send me some corporate email."
Camila smiled.
"I wasn’t planning to."
"Good."
Isabella looked at me again.
"It was good seeing you, Evan."
This time, it sounded different.
"You too."
Her attention shifted to Camila.
"Take care of him."
Camila’s smile turned sweet.
"Always."
I stared at her.
Isabella laughed and disappeared into the crowd.
For a few seconds, neither of us said anything.
Then Camila’s phone vibrated.
She looked down.
Whatever appeared on the screen wiped the smile from her face for a moment. Not badly. More like she’d suddenly remembered there had been a reason for all of this.
Her eyes flicked toward me before she locked the phone.
I had a pretty good idea what she’d just seen.
CHANGE THE STORY — COMPLETE.
I didn’t check mine.
Not yet.
"So..."
I looked at her.
That was new.
Camila Reyes had spent the last ten minutes convincing two people she practically belonged attached to me.
Now she suddenly couldn’t seem to decide where to look.
"So?"
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I think we’re done here."
"With the pilot?"
"Obviously."
She glanced toward the bar.
"I still have another hour."
"I know."
"You don’t have to stay."
A brief silence settled between us.
Then Camila looked at me again.
"Didn’t we say we’d split a cab?"
We had.
Before she’d kissed me.
"You want to wait an hour?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"Don’t make it weird."
"I wasn’t planning to."
"Good."
She reached across the bar and took one of the drinks I’d just finished.
"Hey."
"Compensation."
I looked at the glass in her hand.
"For what?"
Camila took a sip.
Her cheeks were definitely a little warmer now.
"Finish your shift, Evan."
Then she walked to an empty stool near the end of the bar.
And stayed.
The pilot was over. Isabella was gone. Whatever Quest had just finished was finished too.
Camila still didn’t leave.